Eight Independent members made up the ruling group – the Conservatives, SNP and Liberal Democrat members were in opposition, eight of them.
Following last year's Scottish Borders Council elections, the Conservatives/Liberal Democrats, plus affiliated Independents, formed the ruling group, led by an Independent.
One of the SBC members elected was Jim Hume who, because people voted for a political party in the proportional representation elections for Holyrood, he became a list MSP for the South of Scotland, covering the area that John Lamont, MSP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, was directly elected to Holyrood to represent.
Throw in Christine Grahame, another list MSP, and that's at least three different political parties – Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and SNP – who represent us.
I heard Jim "two hats" Hume on the radio recently passing comment on the Commercial Road development draft plan in Hawick, as a Holyrood list MSP or a Galashiels SBC councillor. Hawick is surely John Lamont's turf.
It seems to me much duplication of representation for the Borders electorate.
Are we represented by the SNP, Liberal Democrats or Conservatives in the Borders? We even have a Liberal Democrat MP elected to Westminster. I am wondering at what cost does political party representation (financially) come to for the Borders taxpayer.
In my opinion, there is much duplication, with MSPs encroaching on each other's areas, not singing from the same political party hymn sheet. It does not say much about our political party-structured democracy.
In London, the Labour Party rules, with all other parties in opposition. At Holyrood, the SNP rule the roost, with other parties in opposition.
Whatever happened to consensus politics – a coalition of elected members representing the people? Political party politics causes division, disappointment, disillusionment, depression and disputes – total confusion!




JAMIE BATTEN
Chay Blyth Place
Hawick